A Kasuga-Style Hall in the Hills of Iwafune
The Murahi Shrine Main Hall (村檜神社本殿) is a three-bay kasuga-style main hall of the late Muromachi period in Iwafunemachi Onodera, Tochigi City, Tochigi Prefecture, and was designated an Important Cultural Property on August 1, 1908 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a three-bay kasuga-style hall roofed in cypress bark; designation number 00519.
The 1908 date in the Agency record is that of its designation under the former law.
The Main Hall of an Old Shrine at Onodera
According to Tochigi City's newsletter, Murahi Shrine is said to have been founded in the seventh century, and the warrior Fujiwara no Hidesato is said to have prayed here for victory; many warlords later revered it.
The main hall is dated to the late Muromachi period. It is a kasuga-style hall three bays wide, roofed in cypress bark (Agency for Cultural Affairs; Tochigi City).
Why It Is an Important Cultural Property
The Agency's record has no commentary; the structure and date set out what was designated. The kasuga style is a type of shrine hall entered at the gable end with a canopy over the front; here it is widened to three bays.
What to Look For
Look for the kasuga form widened to three bays and the cypress-bark roof (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Tochigi City notes that the shrine forest is a city-designated cultural property.
Visiting
It is owned by Murahi Shrine (Agency for Cultural Affairs). No official visiting information was found.
Q&A
- When was the Murahi Shrine Main Hall built?
- In the late Muromachi period (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What style is it?
- A three-bay kasuga-style hall with a cypress-bark roof.
- What kind of shrine is Murahi Shrine?
- An old shrine said to date from the seventh century, where Fujiwara no Hidesato is said to have prayed for victory (Tochigi City).
- Where is Murahi Shrine?
- In Iwafunemachi Onodera, Tochigi City, Tochigi Prefecture.
- When was the Murahi Shrine Main Hall designated an Important Cultural Property?
- On August 1, 1908 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Murahi Shrine Main Hall (村檜神社本殿) |
|---|---|
| Location | 4697 Onodera, Iwafunemachi, Tochigi City, Tochigi Prefecture |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Designated 1908/08/01 (Meiji 41) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 3-bay kasuga style, cypress-bark roof |
| Owner | Murahi Shrine |
| Public Access | No official visiting information |
References
- Murahi Shrine Main Hall (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/102/400
- Murahi Shrine (Tochigi City newsletter, March 2021, Japanese)
- https://www.city.tochigi.lg.jp/uploaded/attachment/30555.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.20